Theme for an Imaginary Western
{{Infobox song
| name = Theme for an Imaginary Western
| cover =
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Jack Bruce
| album = Songs for a Tailor
| released = 29 August 1969 (UK)
6 October 1969 (US)
| format =
| recorded = April–May 1969
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Psychedelic rock, progressive rock
| length = 3:30
| writer = Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
| producer = Felix Pappalardi
| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|gXkE4Ew0mEc|"Theme for an Imaginary Western"}}}}
}}
"Theme for an Imaginary Western" is a song written by Jack Bruce and Pete Brown. The song is also referred to as "Theme from an Imaginary Western". It has been performed by many artists, including Mountain, Jack Bruce, Leslie West, Colosseum, Greenslade, DC3 and Johan Asherton.
Background
"Theme for an Imaginary Western" originally appeared on Bruce's Songs for a Tailor album in 1969. The lyrics by Pete Brown are mentioned in Brown's autobiography White Rooms and Imaginary Westerns ({{ISBN|978-1906779207}}) as being in reference to Bruce's erstwhile bandmates Dick Heckstall-Smith and Graham Bond of The Graham Bond Organisation.{{Cite web|url=https://quavid.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/famous-bus-spotters/|title=Famous bus spotters – No.1: Pete Brown|website=Quavid.wordpress.com|date=2 April 2013|access-date=7 June 2021}}
The following year, the song appeared on Mountain's Climbing! album. Mountain bassist/vocalist Felix Pappalardi, who sang the song with Mountain, had helped produce Bruce's album and brought the song to guitarist/vocalist Leslie West's attention for their album. Mountain performed the song at the Woodstock Festival in 1969; this version appeared on the Woodstock Two album.{{Cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/woodstock-two-mw0000653420 |title = Woodstock Two - Original Soundtrack |website = AllMusic |access-date=20 January 2025}}
In 1988, Bruce teamed up with Mountain guitarist Leslie West, and performed the song again on West's Theme album, which was named after the song. West also performed it on Leslie West Live! and The Howard Stern Show.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1165996/a/live.htm&frm=www.cduniverse.com|title=Leslie West – Live CD Album|website=Cduniverse.com|access-date=7 June 2021}}
The song was also covered by English jazz rock band Colosseum on their 1970 album Daughter of Time.{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/daughter-of-time-r33688 |title=Daughter of Time – Colosseum |first=Mike |last=DeGagne |work=allmusic.com |access-date=20 January 2025}}
Greenslade included the song on their 1974 Spyglass Guest album.{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/spyglass-guest-mw0000742116 |title=Spyglass Guest - Greenslade |first=Jim |last=Allen |work=allmusic.com |access-date=20 January 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Mountain (band)}}
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Category:Mountain (band) songs
Category:Songs written by Jack Bruce
Category:Song recordings produced by Felix Pappalardi